Plant container covering



A ril 4, 1939. w. B. JONES 2,152,643

PLANT CONTAINER COVERING Filed Feb. 13, 1956 25. w ji -rMW ,5 7 21 I13 I;

Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNITED; SIEA-TES;

OF-F ICE Q AI B screams: W. Bartlett Jones- Chicago, Ill;.'

Apn i at onli bo fuary ,3 3 ati h 3 1 1 6 Claims.

Thepresent inventionrelates topotted plants in clay opo therkinds. ofpots which are porous.

to;,-w ater. It; has particularv referenceto anon-U, porous, jacketorrcoverjfc-r the sides ;oi the. pot.

Claypots areherein chosen as anexample of plant containers. whichtake water; or moisture from the moist; earth in the pot andexpose it. to evaporation.

care tovinsurethe best results. Thiscare is k ordinarilyv not; given in a home, largely, through.

ignorance; or lack of facilities.

A clay petin a-greenhouse or inafiorist shop isusuallyplacedon a moist bench oiearth, sand or cinders Asthepotwalls dry out byeyaporae tion thepot takesmoisture from themoist bench.

A poton az dry bench A must take .all oiits water,

from themoistearth in the pot. Therefore, at,

moist en h o serv so moisture in the earth on-i amin e; p an 0 s,

, There is great-danger to the plant as.:so 0.n as..- th t a lsibe m hdr Th sis Subject: to;..

anation. lay s, v l n a moist bench draw; some moisture from the earthin the, pot.v

of. this action. Another result of-this movement is the generation of roots next to the pot walls,

.- Roots tend to row Where the nutrients are being concentrated. Hence in clay pots, a casing. of roots is found whichconforms to; the; shape; of; the;pot,, and'which; houses a coreof earth; In non porous pots the roots ramify, through the earth in a different but natural way.

It isthe presence of these roots next to the pot walls which is a potential danger to the. plant; A clay poton-a dry surface will takemoisture, fromthe roots. As soon as the walls become dry,

theroots are dried up and. theplant abovels injured in proportion. action accounts for most of the ragged looking plants in clay pots.

t as be n r p e ,her e. paint clay pots to seal-the pores, Thiscan bepracticedwith; only some paints, such for example as asphalt emulsions, or rubber emulsions. or other paints or coating materials which will adhere (to a surface that is moist when painted. Another practice heretofore recommended. is to place the poto-n a moist pad, asof moss, oron a compressed integral block of fiber, or one of porous clay, which pad or block stands in water or; is supplied with; water in such a way that it provides a moist i f r ns itt t r o eo ll se Pra t e ha aw-b ka n amp ei Such no-ts require. very special wh n aperson acquires p-la te m afloris a pain iwhichois uitable to ali hep res-is m s y; to apply, and some oi the ingredientsnflght ini re-th iplan T p in wil 'n ti h -nse he nfi uration f p-Q i an .may ot-b m oth, showinghmanyof the defects in the po t. The rnoistpadprblock calls for use o f vthin gs p-Vossibly not; available at: the time, and whenused," c0 nnueifiare s'h ssential ep i m ist.

The present invention provides a, removable 3 ovetr a ket: f n h pe oip tv n t o et r r at yhe oss at va o n from the sides;v 'Ijhis may be of; flexible elastic ste ell uknre erab y ubber, and-be eithe loose or tight in regardto its fitting the pot.

he a b ect .13; het n ention o p ide a esilyv put enenflfiakmofl d Js y. o: or 1 dec rate ndv f r ha fisi ,i-v l chan edppea es to he-mote a a fi l; as Qretard-m t p he vapora e q zpate A particulanobject of the invention is taprov de a jacket h ch; i s e li bottom en neor o e suall r v ed: l y pot t lan the i bie t -to rov e a j ket h cn.

effectively seals the hole so. that asauceris not qui d-..

en th xiqbi -ti to o ide anus v v e lth ottomhele .15 ay not hich cup may be se-d t b nd' heac nt e b tt m of h 012 The irrvention may be carried outin numerous a s nei dit t n eexem lifiedimthe a0- wm an ined. wi n i h:

1-representsa clayflower pot with a tightfittir g overall jacket.-

Fig; 2 represents a clayflowerpotwith a tuburt leev anda ottom cap.

3 -;represents a-clay flower pot and a moisture-preserving, skirt thereon.

i 4 represents ,aclay flowerpot with a jacket, thereon like that of Fig. 3, but with a securingzbelt at the bottom. I

Fig. 5 represents a, sheet or, Wrappermarle: for. application to a multiplicity. of sizes of flower DQ/ts,

6 =-1D .v Sehts,onev manner. of applying to a flower potthesheet of Fig 5.

Fig; 7 represents the appearance of a flower pot-as it mayybe jacketed with the wrapperof. Fig, 5.

Fig. 8, illust fates. a band-useful in securingthe jac et. t the flower po is, 9,, epresen s nid he v s rip -v usedas, a.- ltrin-seci nelaa acke i a not...

The object of the invention is preferably to be attained by providing a jacket or cover which can be conveniently placed onto or removed from a pot which contains a potted plant. But this is no limitation. A very tight fitting jacket may be used, such that it has to be stretched on. The physical manipulations wtih such a jacket must be accomplished with care in order not to injure the plant. Preferably, the jacket is one which needs to be snug only near the top of the pot. Itmay hang loose as a skirt, or the bottom also may be drawn in to the. bottom of the pot. The body may be very loose, providing an air space between the pot sides and the jacket.

In Fig. 1 the numeral N] indicates a porous plant container, particularly a common clay pot provided with the bottom hole I I. A form fitting jacket 12 of elastic material such as rubber is made in one piece to cover both sides and bottom of the pot. The annular portion of the jacket may be normally smaller than the pot, and be stretched when on the pot. The bottom hole II is thus effectively sealed so that the pot may be placed on a surface which water would injure or soil, and thus a saucer is not needed. Cylindrical sides (in normal form), when good rubber is used, can be stretched onto a tapered pot, producing an attractive form fit. Colors and ornamentation may enhance the beauty of such a covered pot.

In Fig. 2 a pot l4 has a jacket l5 which is generally a tubular sleeve, terminating at top and bottom of the pot. The sleeve portion may be snug fitting or elastically stretched onto the. pot. Some people consider that a hole is necessary for drainage, or useful for watering thepot contents from the bottom. A removable bottom cap I6 may be used to seal the bottom when desired. This has a bottom plate I! which may be of any water-resistant material, even rubber, whether elastic or non-elastic. The bottom plate I! has an elastic flange l8, preferably of rubber, to grip the pot itself, or the jacketed pot, as shown. Such bottom cap is useful without a jacket, when one wishes to seal the bottom hole, or provide a less hard base for the pot.

In Fig. 3, a skirt-form of cover 20 is shown which hangs from the top of the pot 2| to the support 22 on which the pot is set. A tubular cylinder is shown, which is preferably of elastic rubber sufficiently stretched to bind the same to the pot at the top. The sleeve or skirt may be tapered or flared or otherwise altered from the cylindrical form illustrated. A band is shown at 23. This may be of any material. It may be an elastic band to serve as the sole or as an auxiliary means to bind the skirt to the pot. Used as the sole support, such band will permit the skirt to be of non-elastic material, and to be larger than the top of the pot. Thus the skirt may be gathered about the circumference. The band may be ornamental.

Fig. 4 represents a pct 25 with a skirt cover 26 suitably supported at the top of the pot, and bound to the bottom by a band, preferably an elastic band 21. The band 21 may be separate from the skirt, or secured to it, or integral with it. It may also be the flange l8 shown in Fig. 2.

The jacket is suitable to be made as an article of commerce for sale at low prices, as in a 100 store. These conditions of presentation for sale are such that the buyer may not knowthe size of the pot to be covered, and hence may defer purchase. Pots also vary in style and form, although there is a general standard. To make the article more universally useful, practical modifications of the above forms are desirable. One such modification is shown in Fig. 5. This consists of a flat sheet 30 of rubber, other suitable elastic material, or suitable moisture-transmission-resistant material, preferably very pliable andattractive in character. The sheet is generally rectangular, but one end may be cut on a bias 3| with the pot-top edge 32 longer than the pot-bottom end 34. This bias side is to make a cleaner looking edge where it spirals around the pot. The top edge is eventually supplied with a belt-like band 35 to hold the cover to the pot. To avoid loss of the band 35 and to facilitate use, the band may be secured to the sheet at some convenient location such as 36.

Such a sheet maybe applied and formed into a proper sized cover, or wrapper, in a very simple manner. The length of the sheet may be cut down on a line such as dotted lines 31, 38 and 39, according to the circumference of the pot, but this is not at all necessary. The top edge 32 is passed around the pot and the strip 35 is used as a belt or tie (Fig. 7) An ornamental bow or rosette 40 may be made. The sheet skirts the pot, and of course is made to hang below the bottoms of the smaller sized pots; It is then preferably cut down on a suitable line such as 4|, 42 or 43, to provide a proper length. The bias edge 3| can be made quite inconspicuous. It may be emphasized for ornamentation by special color or added pieces to provide the appearance shown at 44 in Fig. 7. The loose bottom of the skirt may be gathered in, and tied by a belt or hoop or elastic band, generally indicated at 45 (Figs. 7 and 8). The band or belt for the bottom may be an ordinary rubber band, but since these are not generally available in assorted colors, and since any single one may not be suitable for assorted sizes of pots, it is preferred to supply a length of ribbon as shown in Fig. 9. This may be a length 48 of elastic rubber or other suitable elastic or non-elastic material, such as Cellophane, bearing a pressure or heat activated adhesive 49, such as mastic gum, suitable for uniting the length to itself or to itself and the pot cover material. A strip of protective fabric or other removable sheet material 50 may protect the adhesive.

As an article for sale the complete outfit, adaptable to various sized pots, may be the articles illustrated in Fig. 5 and Fig. 8 or 9.

Plain sheet rubber may be used. This is highly flexible and elastic. Such rubber may be fluted, crimped or creped and this is indicated at 5| in some of the figures, particularly with respect to the wrapper 30 of Figs. 5, 6 and 7. This is advantageous because stretch of the sheet without stretch of the rubber is permitted and is desirable at the wider top of the pot. The creping, crimping, fiuting or corrugations ensmall the skirt so that its ornamental character is improved. Sheet material, whether or not it is elastic, may be so creped or crimped or fluted, and may be sold in a wide ribbon from a roll for use in accordance with this invention.

The invention provides means to improve the culture of house plants, and at the same time provide changeable and improved decoration, as well.

purposes alone, such for example as converting a metal pail or can into a more ornamental container. The water-resistant character makes the cover washable.

I claim:

1. A sheet of material adapted for forming a cover or jacket for various sizes of plant containers comprising a form of sheet material which is relatively impervious to moisture, and which has two edges forming an acute angle, said sheet when wrapped about a plant container having one of said edges snugly encircling the top edge of the container, and the other of said edges spiralling about the container.

2. A sheet of material adapted for forming a cover or jacket for various sizes of plant containers comprising a form of sheet material which is relatively impervious to moisture, said sheet having a straight line edge, and a belt-like strip secured to the sheet near said edge to serve as a tie or belt when said sheet is wrapped about a plant container, said sheet having a biased edge meeting said first edge at less than a right-angle. 3. A cover for downwardly tapering porous flower pots comprising a flat thin flexible sheet of moisture-transmission resistant material adapted to be wrapped loosely about the body of a flower pot and to provide an overlapping portion at both top and bottom of the pot as a side joint or seal, and belt-like means to hold the wrapped sheet snugly to the top of the pot as a vapor seal.

4. A cover for downwardly tapering porous flower pots comprising a flat thin flexible sheet of moisture-transmission resistant material adapted to be wrapped loosely about the body of a flower pot and to provide an overlapping portion at both top and bottom of the pot as a side joint or seal, belt-like means to hold the wrapped sheet snugly to the top of the pot as a vapor seal, and belt-like means to hold the wrapped sheet snugly to the bottom of the pot as a vapor seal.

5. A fiat sheet of moisture-transmission resistant material with a generally linear edge, a tie associated with said edge for securing said edge snugly to the top of a pot about which said sheet may be wrapped, said sheet having an area adapted to be reduced by trimming one or more of the other edges to provide a wrapper to be placed about the body of a flower pot with an overlapping joint as a seal.

6. A flat sheet of moisture-transmission resistant material with a generally linear edge, a tie associated with said edge for securing said edge snugly to the top of a pot about which said sheet may be wrapped, said sheet also having a second edge meeting the first edge at an acute angle, the sheet having an area adapted to be reduced by trimming the sheet at remaining edges to provide a wrapper to be placed about the body of .a flower pot with an overlapping joint as a seal.

W. BARTLETT JONES. 

